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American Morning

Surgery Performed on Detainee in Cuba

Aired January 15, 2002 - 09:38   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN FINANCIAL ANCHOR: A mystery involving one of the Afghan detainees at Guantanamo Naval Base in Cuba has been cleared up. Pictures of the first 20 prisoners arriving at Guantanamo showed one of them being carried on a stretcher.

Well, we have just learned of the exact medical condition of that particular prisoner, and CNN Pentagon Correspondent Barbara Starr joins us now with the latest -- Barbara.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Jack.

Yes, one of the detainees has undergone a two hour surgical procedure at the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay. He underwent this surgery on Sunday, and he was released from the hospital at Guantanamo Bay yesterday.

He had suffered a gunshot wound that was apparently about a month old, and it had become infected. Doctors performed what is called an "incision and drainage" on his upper right arm where this gunshot wound had occurred.

The man was apparently awake and in stable condition prior to the surgery. They were able to explain to him what they planned to do, but, of course, he was under strict security conditions the entire time. This was the detainee who was sedated during the flight, but, of course, we now know it's not because he had become unruly, but because he was in pain, and they were trying to take care of him.

The Pentagon tells us the man is expected to recover full use of his shoulder and arm area. He may suffer some permanent wrist damage because of nerve damage due to his injuries.

Now, the next flight of detainees from Afghanistan to Cuba could occur as soon as tomorrow, and the Pentagon tells us that the International Red Cross is expected to visit Guantanamo Bay in the next few days to review the conditions under which the detainees are being held.

In other Afghanistan news, no bombs fell overnight, we are told, but that's not expected to continue. The Pentagon says there are perhaps hundreds of al Qaeda fighters still in this area of Eastern Afghanistan around the town of Khowst and Gardez and, as one official told us, where there are men, there's material, supplies, and weapons and we're go going get it -- Jack. CAFFERTY: So earlier reports that that bombing operation in the East was winding down, may not necessary be the case. It may just be a pause, you are suggesting.

STARR: Well, in fact, they feel that they have pretty much finished up the work at this one specific area called Zawar Kili, a training camp that has been used by al Qaeda, but now they begin to notice, and they have got intelligence that there are al Qaeda fighters spread out, more spread out in Eastern Afghanistan than they had thought, spread out around the towns of Khowst and Gardez. They believe they have weapons with them, so they will conduct some reconnaissance missions overhead, and we should expect to see some possible bombing missions in the next few days in this broader area of Eastern Afghanistan -- Jack.

CAFFERTY: All right. Appreciate the update, Barbara, thanks very much. Barbara Starr reporting live from the Pentagon.

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